{"id":148631,"date":"1996-03-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1996-03-11T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/gurnam-singh-ors-vs-the-sub-divisional-officer-on-12-march-1996"},"modified":"2015-05-11T06:54:27","modified_gmt":"2015-05-11T01:24:27","slug":"gurnam-singh-ors-vs-the-sub-divisional-officer-on-12-march-1996","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/gurnam-singh-ors-vs-the-sub-divisional-officer-on-12-march-1996","title":{"rendered":"Gurnam Singh &amp; Ors vs The Sub-Divisional Officer &#8230; on 12 March, 1996"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Supreme Court of India<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Gurnam Singh &amp; Ors vs The Sub-Divisional Officer &#8230; on 12 March, 1996<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_citations\">Equivalent citations: JT 1996 (3),    561\t  1996 SCALE  (3)110<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: K Ramaswamy<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_bench\">Bench: Ramaswamy, K.<\/div>\n<pre>           PETITIONER:\nGURNAM SINGH &amp; ORS.\n\n\tVs.\n\nRESPONDENT:\nTHE SUB-DIVISIONAL OFFICER (CIVIL) KAITHAL &amp; ORS.\n\nDATE OF JUDGMENT:\t12\/03\/1996\n\nBENCH:\nRAMASWAMY, K.\nBENCH:\nRAMASWAMY, K.\nVENKATASWAMI K. (J)\n\nCITATION:\n JT 1996 (3)   561\t  1996 SCALE  (3)110\n\n\nACT:\n\n\n\nHEADNOTE:\n\n\n\nJUDGMENT:\n<\/pre>\n<p>\t\t\t O R D E R<br \/>\n     This appeal  by special  leave arises from the order of<br \/>\nthe Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court made<br \/>\non June 11, 1979 in writ petition No.1944\/79.\n<\/p>\n<p>     The admitted  facts are  that the\tappellants came into<br \/>\npossession of  the lands  in question  as tenants  20  years<br \/>\nprior to  1975 and  the lease  had expired in the year 1975.<br \/>\nThereafter, no fresh lease was granted to the appellants. It<br \/>\nis not\tin dispute  that the  lands are\t Shamlat  Deh  lands<br \/>\nvested in  the Gram  Panchayat. The  High Court relying upon<br \/>\nits earlier  decisions has  held that under Section 7 of the<br \/>\nPunjab Common  Lands (Regulation)  Act, 1961 read with Rules<br \/>\n19 and\t20 of  the Rules  the Assistant Collector, 1st class<br \/>\nhas been  empowered to\thave the  appellants ejected and the<br \/>\nnotice issued  under Rule  20 cannot  be said to be invalid.<br \/>\nThus, this appeal by special leave.\n<\/p>\n<p>     Shri P.P.\tJuneja, learned\t counsel for the appellants,<br \/>\ncontended that\tRule 19\t is bad in law since the Act did not<br \/>\ndefine as  to who  is an unauthorised occupant; that Rule 19<br \/>\ncannot\tspecify\t  an  unauthorised   occupant;\t and   that,<br \/>\ntherefore, it  is beyond  the rule  making power. We find no<br \/>\nforce in the contention.\n<\/p>\n<p>     Rule 19 elaborately states thus:<br \/>\n     &#8220;19. For  the purpose  of Section 7<br \/>\n     of\t the  Act,  a  person  shall  be<br \/>\n     deemed  to\t  be   in   unauthorised<br \/>\n     occupation of  any land  in Shamlat<br \/>\n     Deh :\n<\/p>\n<p>     (a) where he has, whether before or<br \/>\n     after the\tcommencement of the Act,<br \/>\n     entered  into  possession\tthereof,<br \/>\n     otherwise\t than\tunder\tand   in<br \/>\n     pursuant of any allotment, lease or<br \/>\n     grant by the Panchayat; or\n<\/p>\n<p>     (b) where,\t he being  an  allottee,<br \/>\n     lessee or grantee, has by reason of<br \/>\n     the determination\tor  cancellation<br \/>\n     of his allotment, lease or grant in<br \/>\n     accordance with  the terms\t in that<br \/>\n     behalf  therein   contained  ceased<br \/>\n     whether   before\tor   after   the<br \/>\n     commencement  of  the  Act,  to  be<br \/>\n     entitled to  occupy  or  hold  such<br \/>\n     land in  Shamlat Deh;  or (c) where<br \/>\n     any person authorized to occupy any<br \/>\n     land in  Shamlal Deh,  has\t whether<br \/>\n     before or after the commencement of<br \/>\n     the Act:\n<\/p>\n<p>     (i) Sublet, in contravention of the<br \/>\n     terms of  allotment, lease or grant<br \/>\n     without  the   permission\tof   the<br \/>\n     Panchyat or  of any other authority<br \/>\n     competent\tto   permit  such   sub-<br \/>\n     letting, the  whole or  any part of<br \/>\n     such land in Shamlal Deh; or\n<\/p>\n<p>     (ii)     Otherwise\t    acted     in<br \/>\n     contravention of  any of  the terms<br \/>\n     express or\t implead under\twhich he<br \/>\n     is authorized  to occupy  such land<br \/>\n     in Shamlal Deh.\n<\/p>\n<p>     Explanation:\n<\/p>\n<p>     &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>     For purposes of clause (a) a person<br \/>\n     shall not\tmerely, by reason of the<br \/>\n     fact that\the has paid any rent, be<br \/>\n     deemed   to   have\t  entered   into<br \/>\n     possession as  allottee, lessee  or<br \/>\n     grantee.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>     Rule 20  specifies the procedure as<br \/>\n     under:\n<\/p>\n<p>     &#8220;20. Issue\t of Notice to show cause<br \/>\n     against order of eviction.\n<\/p>\n<p>     (Sections 7  and  15(2)(k)-(1).  If<br \/>\n     the Assistant  Collector of the Ist<br \/>\n     grade is of opinion that any person<br \/>\n     are in  unauthorised occupation  of<br \/>\n     or claim  interest in  the land  in<br \/>\n     Shamlal  deh  situated  within  his<br \/>\n     jurisdiction and\tthat they should<br \/>\n     be evicted,  he shall issued in the<br \/>\n     manner   hereinafter   provided   a<br \/>\n     notice in\twriting calling upon all<br \/>\n     the persons concerned to show cause<br \/>\n     why an order of eviction should not<br \/>\n     be made.\n<\/p>\n<p>     (2) The notice shall-\n<\/p>\n<p>     (a) specify  the grounds  on  which<br \/>\n     the order\tof eviction  is proposed<br \/>\n     to be made; and\n<\/p>\n<p>     (b) require  all persons concerned,<br \/>\n     that is  to say all persons who are<br \/>\n     or may  be,  in  occupation  of  or<br \/>\n     claim interest  in Shamlal\t deh, to<br \/>\n     show cause,  if  any,  against  the<br \/>\n     proposed order  notice being a date<br \/>\n     not earlier  than ten days from the<br \/>\n     date of issue thereof.\n<\/p>\n<p>     (3) The  Assistant Collector  shall<br \/>\n     cause  the\t notice\t to  be\t affixed<br \/>\n     outside the  panchayat ghar  or any<br \/>\n     other building   used  as office by<br \/>\n     the   Panchayat\tand   at    some<br \/>\n     conspicuous places of the estate in<br \/>\n     which the\tland in\t Shamlal Deh  is<br \/>\n     situated,\twhereupon   the\t  notice<br \/>\n     shall be  deemed to  have been duly<br \/>\n     given to all persons concerned.<br \/>\n     (4) where\tthe Assistant  Collector<br \/>\n     knows or  has  reasons  to\t believe<br \/>\n     that any  persons are in occupation<br \/>\n     of the  land in   Shamlal deh, then<br \/>\n     without prejudice to the provisions<br \/>\n     of sub-rule (3) he may cause a copy<br \/>\n     of the  notice to\tbe served     on<br \/>\n     every such\t person by  post, or  by<br \/>\n     delivering or  tendering it to that<br \/>\n     person.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>     Sections 7 and 13-B read as under:<br \/>\n     &#8220;7. (1)  An Assistant  Collector of<br \/>\n     the first grade having jurisdiction<br \/>\n     in the village may, either suo motu<br \/>\n     or on  an\t application made to him<br \/>\n     by the  Panchayat\tor an inhabitant<br \/>\n     of Village or the Block Development<br \/>\n     and Panchayat  Officer or\t  Social<br \/>\n     Education and  Panchayat Officer by<br \/>\n     the Block Development and Panchayat<br \/>\n     Officer, after  making such summary<br \/>\n     enquiry as\t he may\t deem fit and in<br \/>\n     accordance with   such procedure as<br \/>\n     may be prescribed, eject any person<br \/>\n     who is  in wrongful or unauthorised<br \/>\n     possession of  the\t land  or  other<br \/>\n     immovable property\t in the\t Shamlal<br \/>\n     Deh of  that village which vests or<br \/>\n     is deemed\tto have\t been vested  in<br \/>\n     the Panchayat  under this\tAct  and<br \/>\n     put  the  Panchayat  in  possession<br \/>\n     thereof  and   for\t so   doing  the<br \/>\n     Assistant Collector  of  the  first<br \/>\n     grade may\texercise the powers of a<br \/>\n     revenue Court  in relation\t to  the<br \/>\n     execution\t of    a   decree    for<br \/>\n     possession of land under the Punjab<br \/>\n     Tenancy Act, 1887.\n<\/p>\n<p>     (2) The  Assistant Collector of the<br \/>\n     first grade  may, by  an order,  in<br \/>\n     writing, require  any person to pay<br \/>\n     a penalty,\t in respect  of the land<br \/>\n     or other  immovable property  which<br \/>\n     was or  has been in his wrongful or<br \/>\n     unauthorised possession,  at a rate<br \/>\n     not less  than six\t hundred  rupees<br \/>\n     and not  more than two thousand and<br \/>\n     five hundred rupees per hectare per<br \/>\n     annum, having regard to the benefit<br \/>\n     which could  be  derived  from  the<br \/>\n     land or  other immovable  property.<br \/>\n     If the  penalty is\t not paid within<br \/>\n     the period\t of thirty days from the<br \/>\n     date of  the order,  the same shall<br \/>\n     be recoverable  as arrears\t of land<br \/>\n     revenue.\n<\/p>\n<p>     (3) If  any person refused or fails<br \/>\n     to\t comply\t  with\tthe   order   of<br \/>\n     eviction passed  under  sub-section<br \/>\n     (1) within\t ten days of the date of<br \/>\n     such order, the Assistant Collector<br \/>\n     of the  first grade  may  use  such<br \/>\n     force, including  police force,  as<br \/>\n     may be  necessary for  putting  the<br \/>\n     panchayat in possession.\n<\/p>\n<p>     (4)  Any  person  aggrieved  by  an<br \/>\n     order of the Assistant Collector of<br \/>\n     the first grade may within a period<br \/>\n     of thirty days from the date of the<br \/>\n     order,  prefer  an\t appeal\t to  the<br \/>\n     Collector, in such form and manner,<br \/>\n     as may be prescribed.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>     &#8220;13-B. All\t suits\tpending\t in  any<br \/>\n     Civil Court  in respect of any land<br \/>\n     or other immovable property wherein<br \/>\n     relief  has  been\tclaimed\t on  the<br \/>\n     ground of\tits being  excluded from<br \/>\n     Shamlal Deh  under\t clause\t (g)  of<br \/>\n     Section 2\tor on any of the grounds<br \/>\n     mentioned\tin  sub-section\t (3)  of<br \/>\n     Section 4\tagainst\t the  Panchayat,<br \/>\n     shall stand  transferred to and the<br \/>\n     fresh   proceedings   for\t seeking<br \/>\n     relief  on\t the  aforesaid\t grounds<br \/>\n     shall  be\t instituted  before  the<br \/>\n     Assistant Collector  of  the  first<br \/>\n     grade having  jurisdiction\t in  the<br \/>\n     village wherein  the land\tor other<br \/>\n     immovable property\t is suitable who<br \/>\n     shall dispose  of the  same in  the<br \/>\n     manner laid  down\tin  sub-sections<br \/>\n     (5) and (7) of Section 13-A.&#8221;<br \/>\n     A conjoint\t reading of  these provisions  would clearly<br \/>\nindicate that the conspectus of the operation of the Act was<br \/>\nintended to have unauthorised occupants ejected by specified<br \/>\nofficer who has been invested with power and jurisdiction to<br \/>\nevict unauthorised  occupants from  the\t possession  of\t the<br \/>\nlands  vested\tin  the\t  Gram\tPanchayat.  The\t contention,<br \/>\ntherefore, that\t the Government\t is devoid  of power to make<br \/>\nRule 19\t is without  force. The\t further contention  of Shri<br \/>\nJuneja is  that contrary  to the specifications mentioned in<br \/>\nRule 20,  the appellant\t was called upon to give the grounds<br \/>\nfor his\t not being  ejected which  is in  derogation of\t the<br \/>\nlanguage in which Rule 20 is couched. Though prima facie the<br \/>\ncontention is  attractive, on  the facts  we do not find any<br \/>\nsubstance in  the contention.  On his own admission that the<br \/>\nappellants are\tin unauthorised\t occupation after the expiry<br \/>\nof the lease, they are liable to be ejected unless they show<br \/>\nany other  legal right\tfor their continuance in possession.<br \/>\nUnder these  circumstance, we do not think that there is any<br \/>\nsubstance in the appeal.\n<\/p>\n<p>     The appeal is accordingly dismissed. No costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court of India Gurnam Singh &amp; Ors vs The Sub-Divisional Officer &#8230; on 12 March, 1996 Equivalent citations: JT 1996 (3), 561 1996 SCALE (3)110 Author: K Ramaswamy Bench: Ramaswamy, K. PETITIONER: GURNAM SINGH &amp; ORS. Vs. RESPONDENT: THE SUB-DIVISIONAL OFFICER (CIVIL) KAITHAL &amp; ORS. DATE OF JUDGMENT: 12\/03\/1996 BENCH: RAMASWAMY, K. BENCH: RAMASWAMY, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-supreme-court-of-india"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Gurnam Singh &amp; Ors vs The Sub-Divisional Officer ... on 12 March, 1996 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/gurnam-singh-ors-vs-the-sub-divisional-officer-on-12-march-1996\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gurnam Singh &amp; 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